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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Review: Lumene Vitamin C+ Illuminating Anti-Age BB Cream SPF20

The product featured in this review was given to Nouveau Cheap from the brand. For my full disclosure, please see the bottom of this blog post.

So I think I finally figured out where BB creams fit into my makeup routine. When I'm in a hurry, I find myself reaching for my BB creams as a quick "I just need something to make myself look presentable" type of product that can give me some light hydration, SPF and coverage.

This probably isn't big news to most of you, since I think that BB creams fit this purpose for a lot of people but, for a while there, I was trying to find a BB Cream that could totally take the place of my favorite foundations. American drugstore BB creams can't quite give me the coverage of my favorite foundations and I've finally come to terns with this. They DO, however, have an essential place in my makeup routine now, and it's with that declaration that I bring you this new BB cream from Lumene.

Lumene Vitamin C+ Illuminating Anti-Age BB Cream SPF20 in 01 Light

(retail: around $14.99, 1.7 oz)

I'm a longtime fan of Lumene skincare (look for this product in the skincare aisle, not the cosmetics aisle) and so I was really excited when I first posted the news that Lumene was coming out with a BB cream.

You can purchase this product at Ulta, Walgreens and CVS (it's actually on sale for $11.99 at CVS as of the time of this post). I think that the full retail price of $14.99 is a good value consider that you get nearly two ounces of product (most drugstore BB creams are closer to one ounce and retail for about the same price). Like many other BB creams, this product comes in two self-adjusting shades: 01 Light and 02 Medium.

Keep reading for my full review...

This product comes with a silver foil safety seal that covers the opening (I removed it prior to taking these photos)

I love that Lumene clearly states what this product does (above) without making any grand claims. This is a "light" and "moisturizing" cream that "helps to correct small skin imperfections." It's not going to solve or correct every single issue you have with your skin, and I appreciate that they don't make a million promises to indicate otherwise.

Also, definitely follow the instructions and do NOT get this product near your eyes. Due to the sunscreen, it will burn your eyes if you get it too close to your eye area--take my word on that one.

Here are some before and after shots:

My skin, freshly cleansed (no moisturizer)

As I always say, my skin is far from perfect. I have broken capillaries on my cheeks, dark circles, fine lines, uneven skintone, old acne scars, enlarged pores...you name it!

After applying Lumene BB Cream with my fingers

I am very impressed with the coverage of this BB cream. I also love that it doesn't leave a shiny, super-dewy finish on my skin (dewy finishes and my oily skin are generally not a good combo).

Texture and consistency: I think this BB cream has a wonderful texture. It's not thin and watery, but it's also not super thick or difficult to spread across the skin. What's quite interesting about this BB cream is that it has to be the quickest-absorbing BB cream I think I've ever used. When I apply this to clean, non-moisturized skin, I can rub it across my skin and almost instantly, it's completely absorbed. It doesn't have a greasy texture that makes you feel like it's just sitting on top of your skin, never quite absorbing into the skin, if you know what I mean. But the best part is that, even though it absorbs so quickly, it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry, tight or parched (sometimes this happens with products that absorb so quickly on my skin). Another great thing is that, after it's absorbed, I can go back over with a bit more product to build the coverage and it doesn't feel (or look) cakey.

Coverage and shade match: Like many Asian BB creams, this product may appear a bit gray when you first apply it. For me, the gray color turns a bit pink (which scared me at first because my skin has yellow undertones). After a few minutes on the skin, this product self-adjusts to my skintone and I have to say it's the best color-match for my NC20 skintone of any BB cream I have used to date (US or Asian). I would consider the coverage to be medium, not light. This is a small miracle, I know, since most US drugstore BB creams provide light coverage. This product isn't going to cover major skin issues and it definitely didn't conceal my dark circles, but it doesn't claim to (remember what it says on the tube!). This product does not settle into my fine lines or accentuate my skin's imperfections--I find it gives a soft, illuminated look to the skin and a bit of an air-brushed quality as well.

Staying power: I think it's important to remember that American drugstore BB creams are not really known for their staying power. So, relatively speaking, I think the staying power of this product is fantastic. I can get about five to six hours of wear during warmer weather before I start to see fading. On cooler days, I can get a full eight hours of wear. But keep in mind that I do set this product with face powder, and that many of my face powders are good at oil control. I think that's important if you have oily skin, because you will get breakthrough shine when wearing this BB cream. A good setting power can really extend the wear-time of this BB cream.

Hydration: Keep in mind that I have very oily skin, so your results may vary. For me, I find the hydration of this product to be excellent. It provides just the right amount of moisturization throughout the day for my oily skin--not so much that my face feels like a greaseball, but also not so little that I feel like I should apply moisturizer before I apply this product. I can totally skip my regular facial moisturizer and wear this product on bare skin. When I do this, my face does not look or feel dry throughout the day. I can't speak for any long-term benefits since I've only been using this product for four weeks, but I haven't experienced any skin issues or breakouts while using this product.

Fragrance: This product has a lovely, soft, botanical, berry scent to it. It's not strong, but I do detect it during application. The scent quickly fades though, and I don't notice it after application.

FINAL VERDICT: We've got a winner here, folks. I absolutely love this BB cream and in terms of how it stacks up to all of the other American drugstore BB creams I've tried to date, this one is my favorite. The coverage is impressive, it has a lovely texture, it absorbs quickly, it's easily buildable and, if you set it with a good setting powder, it can last all day, no problem. If you have drier skin, you might have to apply a separate moisturizer beforehand but for my oily skin, this product provides the perfect amount of hydration to get me through the day. I only have two complaints about this product. First, I'm not sure that shade Medium is going to adjust enough for those of you with deeper skintones (I really hope Lumene comes out with a Deep option soon). Second, I wish that the formula was SPF30 (rain or shine, I don't like to leave my house without anything less than SPF30 on my face). So I do have to apply a separate sunscreen if I know I'm going to be outdoors for any length of time. That said, this is my new go-to for when I'm in a hurry and just need to even out my skintone and be out the door quickly. If you're looking for a new BB cream, and you can find a good shade match in 01 Light or 02 Medium, I think you might be quite pleased with this one.

Have you tried Lumene Vitamin C+ Illuminating Anti-Age BB Cream? If so, I would love to hear how it's working for you. If not, do you think this might be a good match for your needs?

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.

This is a good review. I've been curious about this BB cream as I tried the Revlon one and I don't think it's a good match for me.I just want something to make my face look a little smoother, more evenly toned like you mentioned and I will have to give this one a try. I have sort of sensitive, oily, acne-prone skin and most facial sunscreens bother my skin.I think I will return my Revlon one and purchase this one while it is on sale. :)(Oh, if anyone is interested, I used Physicians Formula Organic-wear mattifying veil -discontinued - to 'set' my Revlon BB cream but I got shine break-through around my nose and I could feel the BB cream on my face, a sensation I do not care for.)

I'm so glad you posted a review of this product. I bought it awhile back when it was BOGOfree at Walgreen's and I am in love! It is the first BB cream I've ever used, and I'm so impressed. My skin looks better than it ever has, and I don't consider myself to have very oily skin, but it's really streamlined my mornings (which is super helpful since I have two little kids). I throw this on after I wash my face and then I put on your old HG foundation, the spf 50 Physician's Formula in Translucent Medium. Such a great combo, great sun protection, super fast -- just perfect. So glad to see you like it too.

I also got this on the BOGOFree deal. I was pretty happy with it as well after using Maybelline and Loreal Youth Code. But then I got Missha for free and love it more than the Lumene. An interesting thing about the Lumene is that everytime me or my friend wears it, the cats start licking our faces and then bitting the face. They are attracted my the smell and like the taste so they want to eat our faces.

I feel the same way as you about the BB's.. something quick that improves the "situation" when I'm in a hurry. I've been enjoying the newer oil control Garnier BB, which sounds quite similar to the attributes you mentioned for this one. It does come in a "deep" shade. It's a huge improvement over the original formula IMO.. but I do have oily/combination skin.

This is my first-ever BB Cream (yeah...I'm not one to jump on the proverbial band-wagon...) and I love it! I have aging, menopausal skin and this product evens out my skin tone and it lasts all day I tend to use a tinted moisturizer with a little Too Faced powder foundation swiped over my t-zone instead area of a regular foundation, so I will use this on a daily basis. ♥

Most of the drugstore BB creams don't come light enough for me, although the Olay Fresh Effects does. Have you tried that one? I'd be interested to see what you think of it--I love the formula, but the coverage isn't much.

Wow, you really made me want this even more than I already did!I sort of gave up on looking for this, because I love my Physicians Formula BB so much, and I still have a practically full tube of Rimmel 9 in 1, that works awesome as well. Those two also have medium coverage, btw.

But now I have to get this one and see if it beats those two! Oh man, BBs have taken over my life!

Hum...I haven't tried the PF but i'm currently testing the Rimmel and I find that I prefer this one to it. But if the Rimmel is working well for you, then I'd be very curious to know how you think this one compares to it!

I love your reviews and find them so helpful. So please know I am not being a jerk when i say any make ups claim that it "self adjusts" to your skin tone it so bogus. BB creams and other tinted moisturizer type products can get away with fewer skin color choices as they have lighter coverage, therefore they match more people. That being said this looks like a great product i will seriously consider. And if you are not sure about what im claiming please know i got my info from another fav beauty guru Paula Begone.

I understand what you're saying, and i'm not trying to say that this self-adjusts like the Almay color-adjusting products, which I think basically all turn the same basic shade for everyone. What you may not understand is that Asian BB creams generally go on with a gray cast and then after a few minutes, they oxidize to a shade that better suits your skintone. that's exactly what this product does. I find this to be a good thing, because for me personally, it goes from grayish to pink and then ultimately to a shade that is VERY close to my own skintone. That's what I mean by ”self-adjusts” in this situation. Hope that helps!

I really want to love this, because I love Lumene products, but their Light is waaay too dark for me. Unfortunately, I've pretty much given up on finding anything light enough for my super-pale skin at the drugstore, and being on a tight budget, I just can't spring for the more expensive boutique or department store lines (that, even then, don't really have anything pale enough for my ghostly-white skin.)

You might also try looking at theatrical brands of makeup. They typically have a wider range of foundations for stage or you could purchase a color adjuster(like in white, light pink, or light yellow) to add to drugstore foundations.

Thanks for this review! I've heard good things about this brand recently but I haven't seen it in a drugstore, probably because it's not in the cosmetics department, so thanks for the tip! You mention that you use a setting powder with oil control, I was wondering what you use because I'm looking for a good setting powder. Thanks G!

I have to point out that this is not a broad-spectrum sunscreen. The single sunscreen ingredient there has virtually no ability to block UVA, which means you might not burn wearing it, but you will still be taking most of the damage associated with wrinkles, age spots, and cancer. For the purposes of skin health, you should consider this an SPF 0.

Although the front of the package says Broad-Spectrum, the side listing the ingredients says it only helps in preventing sunburn, so it technically is not being deceitful. There are no "anti-aging" claims anywhere on the bottle.

I bought this awhile ago on sale at Walgreens and loved it right off the bat. However, after a day or two of use my skin started to flake a lot. I use Retin-A at night and have sensitive skin. I think the anti-aging ingredients in the Lumene were just too much for me in conjunction with the Retin-A. My hunt for the perfect BB cream continues...

Hm.. This says that it's broad spectrum, but oxctinoxate isn't particularly good against UVA rays, which cause the signs of aging we associate with sun damage. I wouldn't rely on this for your primary sunscreen unfortunately. :/

I wouldn't expect darker shades from Lumene in the near future, considering it still is a Finnish brand. In fact many are hoping it would make lighter shades because those are more in demand. For me personally they have been pretty good and I like this one, too. Also, FYI, the new Lumene CC cream has been getting great reviews lately.

Fantastic.. I haven't tried this BB cream, because I'm currently using Etude House precious mineral bb cream.. However, I would want to give this a try to see if this could replace my long time partner bb cream.. haha..

Omg, Thank you! I have been searching for a good eye cream to use and always wondered if I was to young to use it. I'm turning 18 in 2 weeks but want to start early with anti aging products and this post helped a lot.